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(No Model.) 7 2 Sheets-Sheet- 1.- D. H. METGALF & W. S. DOY.

REFRIGERATOR.

No. 500,147. Patented June 27, 1893.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

D. H. METGALF & W. S. DOY. REFRIGERATOR.

No. 500,147. Patented June 27, 1893.

Witnesses- Inventors- W4 mtg QM flaw NITED STATES PATENT Orricn.

DAVID H. METOALF AND WILLIAM S. DOY, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN.

REFRIGERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 500,147, dated June 27,1893.

Application filed June 27, 1892- Serial No. 438.232. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concerm.

Be it known that we, DAVID H. METCALF and IVILLIAM S. DOY, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Battle Creek, in the county of Calhounand State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Refrigerators; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of theinvention,such as Will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The objects accomplished by this invention are, first, to so constructthe refrigerator that the several parts composing the sides, top andbottom thereof, shall be absolutely air-tight, and impenetrable fromeither within or without; second, to so construct the body, in puttingthe said parts together, that there can be no possibleintercommunication between the air, or vapors, of the vegetable and icechambers, and the non-conducting air-spaces between the several hollowwalls or dead-air-spaces, often so called; third, to construct andcombine the several parts in such manner that the least possible amountof wood, or other shrinkable material, shall enter into the constructionof the structure; fourth, to so contrive the main frame, or body of thecasing, that no possible deterioration thereof can occur causedbyexpansion and contraction,in changes of tempera-. ture; or otherextraneous means. In short, the object of our invention is to provide ata minimum expense a refrigerator which will have great capacity and inwhich a given supply of ice will last a maximum length of time and keepthe contents perfectly cool and sweet. These definite and desirableresults we have accomplished in the manner and by the means now to beparticularly pointed out, as follows, viz:

Referring to the drawings, wherein the sides of the sheets represent thetop and bottom parts of the refrigerator, in the several views,Figure 1. represents a transverse vertical section, drawn on a line nearthe rear inside wall thereof. Fig. 2. shows the construction, and mannerof placing of the frames, constituting the skeleton of the structure,which is all the wooden materials entering into the entire fabricationof the refrigerator. Fig. 3. represents the said skeleton frame, with anon-conducting wall interposed between the frames and the same, orsimilar Walls, side by side, with outside and inside above, and withinthe refrigerator chamber,

and Fig. 6 is a detail view of the bottom of the ice-tray.

Referring now to the reference letters, designating the several parts:a, represents strips of Wood, prepared in suitable length, width andthickness, for the size of refrigerator; placed end, to end, after themanner shown in Fig. 2. On one side of the frame, a covering of brownpaper, I), of good, substantial thickness, is fixed to the side-bars, byglue, orotherwise secured; when another frame is laid thereon, and thetwin-frames, constituting the interior of the side, is fastened to thepaper and to the first frame at the corners thereof, as shown. On bothfaces of the twin-frames, like coverings, b, b" are secured, wherebydead-air-spaces, D, are pro vided, on each side of the central paperwall I), 1), Within the area of the frame, as seen, (see Fig. 4:.) Tenow proceed to inclose and seal air-tight, the entire structure thusmade, with sheet-metal. One of the sides thereof We cover withsheet-steel, A, preferably gal vanized for convenience in soldering;thisis for the outside wall of the refrigerator. The opposite side is forthe interior wall. It is preferably covered in like manner withsheet-zinc, B, and the union lap Z, (shown at top of Fig. 3,) of the twometals, is sealed by soldering air-tight, or by equivalent means. Inthis manner of making we have: (first) the outside galvanized, closure,A, (second) the contacting paper, or non-conductor wall, 6, (third) thedead-air-space, D, (fourth) the central wall, b, (fifth) the contactingnon-conduct-or, b, (sixth) and the inside, sheet zinc lining, or wall B.Four of these structures,

constitute the four-sides of the refrigerator body,--and suitablyconstructed in similar manner, make the top, and bottom. These aresoldered tightly at their intersecting inside edges, whereby anabsolutely impervious refrigerator body is secured having depend- -entco-acting and integral walls and the inner walls kept sweet and freefrom foul contamination, at all seasons, climates and conditions. I

An ornamental border, a, may be placed around the opening of thetop-cover, above the ice-tray, E, and a like binding border may beprovided for the refrigerator corners; forming a handsome, paneledexterior; and the galvanized exterior wall may be stamped into variousornamental shapes for greater strength and beauty. A sub-frame, notshown of similar make, provides for the door for gaining access to thevegetable chamber, F, in the well known way ;-as does the top-coverconstruction shown, to the ice-tray, or box E,

as already seen. The said ice-tray is conveniently suspended close tothe top of the refrigerator, by means of an outwardly projectingintegral bead, p, or border thereof, which rests on: fixed pins, 19,projecting from the adjacent inside wall, for this purpose, said icetray being of suchsize relative to the body as to leave air passages H Hbetwee it and said body.

The bottom of the ice-tray is provided with inverted V-shapedgrate-bars, g, and adjac'ently above said bars, at one end of the tray,the air-duct, h, is provided, and near the top and at the opposite end,or side of said icetray, is located the air duct h. These ducts givecirculation from and to, the ice tray, and throughout the refrigeratorchamber, in the direction indicated by the arrows; and agreeably tocertain well known laws, governed by the slowly melting ice; thecondensing noxious vapors, meanwhile arising from contactof water, byway of the pipe y, connecting the The regulation of the air currents ofrefrigerators has been found to constitute an important element in theproblem,-not only of l cost of ieefor preserving the necessaryequilibrium of temperature, but for properly keeping the variousperishable products it 15 desired to preserve and "protect; andtherefore we have devised a regulating gate, It, by means of which theair-duct on one sideof the ice tray may be closed, or controlled atwill, and the amount of air circulation, to-and x from the saidice-tray, E, may be regulated at all times. (See Fig. 1.) This damper,R, is movable horizontally inward or outward, by hand .or otherwise,andmay be adjusted so as to leavethe air passage entirely,or only partiallyopen, or to entirely close the same. It is supported upon and guided bythe strap r.

Having thus clearly andfully described and illustrated our invention,and pointed out the more prominent particulars and process ofmanufacture; and shown some of the manifest advantages for various usesto which it is obviously applicable, what we claim, and: desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a rectangular refrigerator, the side,

top and bottom walls thereof, each of said walls consisting ofaplurality of open rectangular frames, paper partitions secured to saidframes,'and a metallic covering entirely inclosing said framesandpartitions; said walls being assembled and permanently securedtogether at their contacting surfaces, substantially' as described.

2. In a rectangular refrigerator, the side, top and bottom wallsthereof, each of said walls consistingof aplurality of open rectangularframes laid side by side, paper partitions secured to said frames andlocated between and also on opposite sides of the same, and a metalliccovering, entirely inclosing said frames and partitions, said wallsbeing assembled and permanently secured together at their contactingsurfaces, substantially as described. I ing vegetables, (he, findingegress in the form In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures inpresence. of two witnesses. bottom of the said ice-tray by thewater-trap, t, with the drain, or receptacle for that pur-r pose placedbeneath the refrigerator bottom.

, Witnesses:

DAVID H. ME'IGALF. WILLIAM S. DOY.

WILLIAM ANDRUS, J AY A. FORD.

